Control center



Jan. 20, 1959 v. R. KESSLER ET AL 2,869,505

' CONTROL CENTER Filed D86- 16, 1955 FlG.l 27 us H62 l Mi: 2 22 p |s 23 4 I3 m U l9 at 20 2| D Y F l G. 3

NVENTORS. VERNON R. KESSLER. y WlLLIAM A. LA GRANGE.

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ATTORNEY.

United States Patent M CONTROL CENTER Vernon R. Kessler and William A. La Grange, Syracuse, N. Y., assignors to Carrier Corporation, Syracuse, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application December 16, 1955, Serial No. 553,502

11 Claims. (Cl. 116-124) This invention relates to a control center and more particularly to a control center for air conditioning systems.

With the expanding use of new appliances in homes,

factories, stores and offices the need for simplified controls has been increased. In complex machinery this problem has been principally solved by compromises which cater to the understanding of the operator and the esthetic requirements of the machine. For practical purposes this has resulted in either the concealment of the controls and/or decreasing the number of controls to the extent whereby the amount of control over the machine is limited. In major appliances, as for example selfcontained air conditioning units, styling has become an extremely important consideration. Styling requirements have very often come into conflict with the functional requirements of machines and in many cases the orientation of components within the machine has been severely restricted. More specifically, in self-contained air conditioning units, this problem has caused the concealment of controls such as reset switches, to a degree whereby removal of cover panels is required for access to the controls.

The chief object of this invention is to provide a control center which provides a plurality of control elements in a compact arrangement which will not offend the esthetic qualities of the machine.

Another object is to provide a control which is visible and yet has the protection of a cover member.

Another object is' to provide a cover for a control which is biased in an open and closed position by av unique over center spring arrangement. Other objects of the invention will be readily perceived from the following description.

This invention relates to a control center in which a plurality of rotary control elements are concentrically disposed before a reflector member which further constitutes a reciprocable control element. Disposed before the control elements is a transparent cover member having a datum point thereon to coact with indicia on the control elements to indicate their relative angular disposition. The cover member is pivotally mounted and has an over center spring arrangement which is actuated by a C-shaped spring which biases the cover member in either an open or closed position.

The attached drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, in which Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of the control center;

Figure 2 is a sectional view of the control center shown in Figure 1 showing the controls with the cover member closed;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the control member shown in Figures 1 and 2 showing the cover member open; and

Figure 4 isa view in elevation showing the details of the over center spring arrangement.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 discloses the control center of the present invention as embodied in an air conditioning unit. There is showna panel 2 of a 2,869,505 Fatented Jan. 20, 1959 self-contained air conditioning unit having an opening in which the present invention is located. concentrically mounted within this opening is a knob 3 having indicia thereon. Mounted directly behind this first knob is a second knob 4 also having indicia thereupon. Directly behind the first and second knobs is a reflector 5. Cover ing the opening in the panel 2 and protecting the control elements is a cover member 6.

In present embodiment knob 3 is operatively connected to the thermostat of the air conditioning unit and knob 4 is operatively connected to the refrigeration equipment and the circulating fan. The reflector 5 is a reciprocable member operatively connected to the reset control of the air conditioning unit. It should be recognized at this point that the present invention is not confined to use upon air conditioning equipment but may be readily applied to other units whereon a plurality of rotatable and reciprocable operators are desired. Reciprocation as used herein denotes either linear or angular to and fro move ment.

Referring to Figure 2 there is indicated a sectional view in elevation of the present invention wherein the physical structure of the respective elements is indicated and their space relationship more clearly set forth. It will be seen from this view that the cover 6 comprises a circular frame section '7 which may be made of a metal or plastic material having a gasket 19 attached thereto to form a sealed connection with the panel 2. The center portion 8 of the cover 6 is made of a transparent material and has a datum point 9 indicated thereupon (Figure 1)..

Referring to the control knob construction it is seen that the knobs 3 and 4 are of a circular configuration each having concave faces. Knob 3 is mounted upon shaft 11 and knob 4 is mounted upon shaft 12 which is concentric with and disposed about shaft 11. Disposed behind the knobs 3 and 4 is the reflector 5 which is also of a circular configuration and has along the upper periphery thereof an actuating button 14which in the present embodiment is utilized for resetting the magnetic starter of the refrigeration system. From the drawing it pivot about the end 17. However, if it is so desired the' lower portion of the reflector 5 may be reciprocatingly actuated in which case the entire plate reciprocates linearly rather than oscillate about the pivot 17.

Referring to Figure 2 the reflector 5 is shown as a dish shaped member and the cover member 6 similarly has a dish-shape. In closed position these two members enclose a space having a convexo-convex shape wherein are disposed the knobs 3 and 4.

The cover 6 is pivotally attached to the panel 2 by means of a hinged connection.

which curves upwardly in arcuate shape. At the upper portion of the bracket there extend two lugs 21 and 21..

These lugs are parallel and each has a hole 22 and 22' which are concentric. concentric notches 23 and 23'. 2 is a channel shaped bracket 24 having lugs with two concentric holes 25 and 25' (not shown). In assembly. the holes 25, 25', 22 and 22 are concentric and form a;

Extending from the upper periphery of the circular section 7 is a bracket 20 Eccentric of these holes are' two, Mounted upon the panel.

.1 a basis for pivotally mounting the cover member upon a pin 26.

At the upper section of the bracket 24 there is located holding means 27. Referring to Figure 4 a C-shaped spring 28 is shown connecting the bracket 24 to the lugs 21. This spring comprises two end portions 29 and 29' which are adapted to engage the respective notches 23 and 23'. This spring also has a center section 30 which is firmly attached to the bracket 24 by the holding means 27.

In assembly the end portions 29 are flexed thereby causing the end portions to bias the bracket in an upward position. In viewing Figure 2 it can be readily seen that since the notches 23 and 23 are eccentric of an axis defined by the holes 22 and 22, there is exerted a counter clockwise movement which tends to keep the cover member in closed position. When it is desired to manipulate the knobs 3, 4 or the reset button 14 the cover member is opened by rotating it about its hinged connection. The lugs 21 and 21' rotate urging the lower portions 29 and 29' of the spring 28 to move in an arcuate path similar to the arc traveled by the notches 23 and 23. Initially the spring resists the opening of the cover by exerting a counterclockwise torque. However, as the lower ends of the spring 28 intersect the plane defined by the points 22 and 27 (Figures 2 and 3) the direction of the moment impressed upon the cover member changes to a clockwise direction. This can be readily seen from Figure 3. Since the spring is constantly exerting an upward bias, having passed the over center position defined by the ponit of intersection of the aforementioned arc of travel and the plane, the direction of the moment applied to the lug and consequently the cover changes direction. This type of snap action provides a positive means wherein the cover member is kept open or closed by the spring bias.

The invention presents a novel compact control arrangement in which a plurality of rotating and reciprocating control elements are concentrically mounted behind a novel transparent cover member having a spring bias. When not in use these elements are protected by the transparent cover having thereon a datum point which clearly indicates the relative angular dispositions of the rotatable control members. The cover member further includes a unique snap action bias which retains the cover member in open and closed position.

The present invention has been described with particular reference to an air conditioning system in which two rotary elements are indicated and only one reciprocating element. It will be understood that this structure is not confined to this particular number of control elements nor to their use in a self-contained air conditioning system since they may be utilized in other environments without departing from the spirit of the invention.

While we have described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood the invention is not limited thereto since it may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following .claims.

We claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture a control center comprising a first rotatable operator, a second rotatable operator, at least one reciprocatingly actuated operator disposed rearwardly of said first and second rotatable operators, at least one of said rotatable operators carrying indicia, a transparent cover member disposed before the operators, said transparent cover member also having indicia to coact with the indicia on at least one rotatable operator to visually indicate degrees of angular disposition of the rotatable operator.

2. A new article of manufacture according to claim 1 in which the cover member is pivotally mounted.

3. As a new article of manufacture a control arrangement comprising a first rotatable shaft, a second rotatable shaft concentrically disposed about the first shaft, a knob mounted on the first shaft, a knob mounted on the second shaft at least one of said knobs being suitably calibrated, a transparent pivoted cover member adapted to protect said knobs and having a datum point cooperating with said calibrations to visually indicate angular knob disposition.

4. As a new article of manufacture a control arrangement comprising a circular reflector member, a transparent cover member concentric with the reflector member, first and second knobs concentrically mounted and disposed between the cover member and the reflector member, at least one of said knobs being calibrated, at least one of said members being provided with indicia to cooperate with the calibrated knob to visually indicate its angular disposition.

5. As a new article of manufacture a control center comprising a circular dish-shaped member adapted for reciprocating motion, a plurality of shafts concentric with the dish-shaped member, a knob mounted on at least one shaft, said knob carrying indicia to indicate the angular disposition of said knob, said dish-shaped member being disposed rearwardly of said knob.

6. A new article of manufacture according to claim 5 comprising a pivoted transparent closure member having a substantially circular shape, and having a datum to cooperate with the indicia on the knobs.

7. As a new article of manufacture a control center comprising a first dish-shaped member, a closure member having a dish-shape, said closure member being transparent and having a pivotal mounting along the periphery thereof, said first dish-shaped member and the closure member cooperating to form a convexo-convex opening therebetween, a plurality of rotatable knobs located in said opening, said knobs being concentric with the first dish-shaped member.

8. A control center, according to claim 7, in which the first dish-shaped member is a reciprocably actuated operator.

9. A control center, according to claim 8, in which the closure member is spring biased.

10. In a control arrangement a biased cover comprising a closure member having a bracket aflixed thereto, said bracket being pivotally mounted about an axis, a C-shaped spring having its center section aflixed to a first point, at least one of the end portions of the spring being in biasing engagement with the bracket at a second point, said second point being eccentric of the pivotal axis, said end portion of the spring in biasing engagement with the bracket at a second point being adapted to rotate in an are about the pivotal axis, said are intersecting a plane passing through the first point and the pivotal axis whereby an opposite rotary biasing action is imparted to the closure member depending on the side of the aforementioned plane the second point is located.

11. A spring biased cover member comprising a dishshaped closure member, a bracket aflixed to an edge of the closure member, said bracket having first and sec ond pivotal axes, said pivotal axes being eccentric, a stationary bracket, said closure member being pivotally mounted to the stationary bracket along the first pivotal axis, a C-shaped spring having its center section affixed relative to the stationary bracket at a first point and having its ends in biasing engagement with the bracket along the second pivotal axis, said closure member being rotatable to cause the second axis to travel in an arcuate path which intersects the plane defined by the first point and the first pivotal axis, whereby the biasing forces of a spring cause a snap action as the second point passes through the said points of intersection.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,324,738 Stieglitz July 20, 1943 2,368,146 Kooyman Jan. 30, 1945 2,598,613 Simoni May 27, 1952 2,677,346 Myers May 4, 1954 2,738,758 Cutler Mar. 20, 1956 2,768,603 Fisher Oct. 30, 1956 

